Cost of Replacing a Bad or Failing Parking Brake Drum

If your car's parking brakes don't hold or just work poorly overall, you may need to replace the parking brake drum. Our certified technicians can come to you and
diagnose the problem.
You will receive a $30 credit towards any follow-up repairs that result from the diagnostic. Following are example prices for Parking Brake Drum Replacement. Click on the button below to get an upfront quote for your car.

Need a new Parking Brake Drum?

How to Diagnose a Bad or Failing Parking Brake Drum?

The parking brake will keep your vehicle in place while it is in park, whether you are on a slight hill or a steep grade. Furthermore, it helps to keep the weight of the vehicle off the transmission gears while in park. All cars on the road are required to have a working parking brake, so it is important that yours is in working order. This brake is a drum brake, which means it uses frictions caused by pads to make the vehicle stop. There are a few symptoms to watch out for when your parking brake drum starts to go bad.

1. Parking brake won’t hold

If you notice your parking brake will not hold, there may be a problem with the rear brake adjustment. This system holds tension on the rear brakes so when the parking brake is engaged, the rear brakes hold the car in place. The parking brake system needs to be used often to keep the correct rear brake tension. If the parking brake is not used enough, the result will be distance between the pads in the parking brake drum. A professional from YourMechanic will be able to properly diagnose this problem for you for you and make any adjustments needed.

2. Poor braking

As soon as you notice the parking brake is working, but not as well as it used to, then it is time to get it looked at. The parking brake drum can wear down over time and may need to be resurfaced, or replaced altogether. A mechanic from YourMechanic should make a distinction between the two, and properly resurface or replace the parking brake drum. This way, the problem will be properly diagnosed and the parking brake will be in good working condition.

3. Keep your parking brake working well

To keep your parking brake working well, remember to use it every so often because not using it is one of the most common reasons for failure. Most parking brake systems use a self adjuster that requires use to activate. Never drive with the parking brake engaged, as this will overheat the brake. In addition, if your Parking Brake Warning light illuminates, get your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible.

Fast and easy Parking Brake Drum Replacement service at your home or office.

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Q: Rattling when accelerating and oil light comes on when I hit the brakes

Q: Brakes hard to push or stuck in park.

Hi there. Check the parking brake lever and cable. As the vehicle was on a hill and the parking brake was set, the cable could have gotten stuck or the parking brake assembly in the rear brakes could have failed...

Q: Brake master cylinder - 2010 Honda Element

Hi and thank you for contacting YourMechanic. Most likely what has happened is that when you were compressing the caliper to install the new brake pads, you compressed the caliper too fast and blew out the inner seal(s) in your...